No one is so good that forgiveness isn't needed.
No one is so evil that forgiveness isn't offered.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Let’s Be Honest

Ginx asked me to do a post on Christians who sin. He did so because some Christians wear expensive suits and this really irritates him. Because we Christians sin so persistently, one post just won’t do.

The first post in this series was, My Favourite Commandmenthttp://makarios-makarios.blogspot.com/2010/01/my-favourite-commandment.html

The third: I yam what I yamhttp://makarios-makarios.blogspot.com/2010/01/i-yam-what-i-yam.html

The fourth: The Big Liehttp://makarios-makarios.blogspot.com/2010/01/big-lie.html

If we we're honest with ourselves about human nature, we would know that the question is not “How could a Leader sin so grievously?” but “Why hasn’t it happened sooner?” When we live in such an atmosphere of denial how can we help but be ambushed by the sin that we pretend (usually for each other but also sometimes for ourselves) is no longer there?

Atheists know this. Why don’t we? Just who do we think we are? Whether it’s a public leader or us, when we “fall,” (meaning our sin has been exposed) it’s not because we’ve come to the end of the line - it’s just the truth of the situation is now known to others.

Having our sins exposed can actually be a good thing. In Daniel we find, “Some of the wise will stumble, so that they may be refined, purified and made spotless until the time of the end . . .” When I tell my clients that the affair or whatever is a great opportunity for growth, they look at me like I’m crazy. What I mean is, the exposure of sin SHOULD send us back to the drawing board, back to basics, back to Jesus.

How can we possibly present a gospel of forgiveness if it is being presented by people who supposedly don’t need forgiveness anymore? And if the point of the Gospel is forgiveness, daily forgiveness, then why do we pretend that we can somehow outgrow our need for forgiveness? How in the world can I suggest a forgiveness for you that I myself don’t need? How is it that a Church that was once filled with the most base that society had to offer, now makes those people feel like it would be one more place where they feel “less than” and unacceptable?

It is a fact of relationships that we connect through our points of weakness - We do not connect through our points of strength. We, who profess the name of Jesus do so because we've recognsed and admitted that humans are weak, we are in need of forgiveness, forgiveness on a daily basis.